Watch that bridge

[Nick Wilkins]

Quick note. My Gliga bridge broke last week – actually more of an explosion [it was really loud when it went].

I’m pretty sure that I’d tightened the strings to tune them over a period of time and not noticed that the bridge was starting to lean forwards a tad. Then, as I was playing – boom!

I found this helpful advice which may be of interest to others:

https://www.violinist.com/blog/bigskynortheast/20084/8569/

Hannah charged me £20 to supply and shape me a new Aubert bridge, so all good, but I’m going to watch those angles more keenly from now on.

[Joanne Iles]

Yes same thing happened to me about a year ago, made me jump out my skin! I visited a luthier and he shaped and fitted a replacement and showed me how to straighten the bridge. I keep it good and upright now!

[Nick Wilkins]

Hi Joanne, it really does make you jump, doesn’t it! I’m definitely in the ‘good and upright club’ with you!

[Jeannette]

Thanks for posting this! I’d noticed that mine had developed a lean and was afraid to tweak it. I’d been turning a blind eye (could have been a literal blind eye given your experience!) really and so your post prompted me to do a bit of YouTube research this morning. It’s lovely and straight now and I am sure that I feel that the tone is improved. My neighbours may still not agree! Thanks for your timely post.

[Nick Wilkins]

I’m glad it was useful, Jeanette! You really don’t want that bridge to explode.

Here is Olaf the Violinmaker talking about how to keep things nice and upright [and correctly placed]:

If you don’t know him – he’s really knowledgeable, has masses of videos and is great to watch when you should really be practising!

[Joanne Iles]

Haha! There’s so many things to keep an eye on who knew? When I saw the luthier he spotted that the sound post on my fiddle was also leaning so he just straightened that too. I would never have thought to check. I think I’m lucky to have someone helpful so local to me. I dread trying to change my strings it’s so fiddly! The professional guys all seem to recommend Thomastik Dominants which mine came fitted with and are still good 18 months on…

[Nick Wilkins]

I know, Jo! I got my Gliga back ‘bridge down’ through the post and it’s a nightmare getting it back up straight and also in line with the notches. Then, of course, as you tune, the bridge starts leaning again. So you straighten it and then retune, etc etc. Practice makes perfect, and all that.

Sound posts, yes – those too have a big effect on tone. I bought one of my instruments on eBay and it didn’t have a soundpost [I knew that but I bought it anyway and had one fitted for £20].

I have two violins, one strung with dominants and one with violinos. I can’t tell which is better for certain because they are different violins, but I think the violinos edge it for me. I’ve just bought a Pirastro ‘Gold’ [it isn’t gold] E string to replace my dominant E [because I think the dominant E is a bit shrill, and I’ve read that the E is commonly replaced, often with the Pirastro Gold E].

That said, it’s still sitting curled up in its paper packet for just the reason you suggest …

It would be a lot easier to be learning the piano, wouldn’t it, but where would the fun be in that?

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